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Tequila/Story
I. This World The world was like a radiant, enchanting ray of afternoon light. This is a world worth protecting. It’s a world worth exploring. I've experienced violent tempests on the sea; I've seen countless dandelions drifting along in the wind. Wheat fields dyed a golden red by the setting sun, cities dressed white in winter, ancient desert cities chiseled with history from the scorching sun; they were all sceneries that I deeply loved. Whether it was demure and reserved young girls from Light Kingdom, or passionate and bold girls from Gloriville, humans have this captivating energy. …Though maybe not everyone. If there weren’t those miasmic monsters ruining such beautiful sceneries, this world could improve. But fortunately, I had the power to dispel such monsters, and I also had a kindred partner. Bullets poured out of a gun muzzle, alongside arrows of brilliant, penetrating light; these monsters were banished from this world that was not their domain. After the battle ended, we accepted an invitation from locals, overwhelmed with gratitude. The thumping music under the bonfire rose and fell melodiously, I watched the lively crowd from outside the door. This kind of warm scenery was always addictive. Late into the night, that addle-headed fool got so lost that even I had no clue where he was. He only returned to the inn surrounded by a cluster of attendant gals. “Yo! Tequila! Where did you run off to! Hiccup!” That guy really didn't look like he could drink much, but his flushed face and hiccups made it clear that he was totally drunk. I could only exasperatedly take him from the girls’ arms. At dawn’s first light, I exited the room I was resting in. I went to the well outside of the inn to wash my face with a basin of water. Martini had been tightly clutching onto the table outside of the inn since last night. Even now, he was still lying over the table, unmoving. Like he was dead. I felt the vein on my forehead twitch. My middle finger and thumb met the sides of my lips, I breathed in, aimed at that idiot’s forehead, and blew hard. Following a shriek, that lunkhead Martini finally woke up from his sweet dream. “Ouch ouch ouch—“ “Serves you right! We have to head out early today, yet here you are, completely wasted! Looks like to me that you wanna die from alcohol poisoning!” “Bullshit! I was so not drunk! Besides, you’re the one who drank the most!!! Remember those beer glasses on the table yesterday!!!” “As if I could get drunk!” “Then what about the last time when you and Fish and Chips drank too much and wanted to climb a tree to pick strawberries? In the end, who was the fool that got strung up on the tree by Croissant to self-reflect!?” “Ugh–! That was an accident!!! An accident!” The mindless bickering continued, this was the daily routine that we'd grown accustomed to. Suddenly, Martini stopped. The tips of his ears twitched and his gaze turned stern. Then, he picked up his long bow and rushed to the town’s outskirts. The horrible screams of Fallen Angels drifted in from afar. By the time I hurriedly arrived, many Fallen Angels were already felled by Martini’s arrows, and the gal beside him was none other than one of the gals who escorted Martini back yesterday. But the current situation was too tight to let me dwell on it much. Before the sun completely rose, we finally eradicated all the Fallen Angels. The girl raised her head to blankly stare at us, and the way she looked took me aback. Both her hands crossed and clasped her chest, her eyes full of yearning… “Were you the God almighty sent from the heavens to protect us?” It’s just like… It’s just like that person, who I could never forget, no matter what… Had I… found out her dilemmas earlier… Would we not… Have met such a terrible end? II. Acquaintances I originally thought saving her was but just a normal occurrence. It was the same as how I'd save any fellow attacked by Fallen Angels. That it was only but a trip’s interlude. The wind-swept golden sand meant everyone around these parts has no choice but to wear a cloak to protect themselves. But I didn’t hate it here. This was a real pretty piece of badlands, even though there was nary a delicate flower or murmuring stream. It had its own kinda spunk. Yellow tinted weeds poked out from rock cracks. They’d adapted to life in this harsh biome, displaying their tenacity. Course, I would be a bit happier if this sappy, out-of-breath fool getting chased down by a Fallen Angel could make a decent effort. The young girl running underneath the sunset stumbled over some stray rocks. Just when the Fallen Angel hot on her heels looked ready to pounce, I exasperatedly whipped out my gun and shot it down. The girl on the ground shrieked, continuously pulling salt out from her pockets and showering it over the Fallen Angel’s corpse. I walked towards Margarita, who’d fallen onto the ground, and extended a hand to her. But the dunderhead with her eyes screwed shut wasn’t aware that she’s already safe, and kept lobbing salt at me. “Sheesh!” Margarita rubbed at her head, sore from being hit, as she childishly Translator's Note: 委屈巴巴 [ There’s no English equivalent to this. This expression can mean that someone feels they’ve been wronged for no reason, but don’t dare to retort, thus they wallow in silent resentment. Usually one would imagine a comically teary face when using this word to describe someone.] pouted. “How many times have I told you!? Your salt can’t defeat these monsters! You gotta use your Soul Power! Soul Power!” “Sob—I know, can you not hit my head next time? I’m already stupid enough, what am I gonna do if I get even stupider from being hit…?” “You’re still sassing back!? What’ll happen if I’m not around the next time you meet a Fallen Angel!?” “Uwah–! I’ve recognized my mistake, O God Almighty—“ I felt a wave of tired hopelessness as I watched Margarita pitifully hold her head. In the end, I dropped the tough act and offered her my hand, helping her stand up. “Already told you not to call me God Almighty, I ain’t no God Almighty.” “But… hiss—“ “Got a problem!?” “N-Nothing.” Despite Margarita’s resistance, I forcefully removed her boot. As I’d thought, her ankle was swelling up real bad. As we irritatedly regarded one another, I felt it was for the best just to carry her on his back. This gal named Margarita was a girl I rescued from a Fallen Angel in a previous voyage. Even though she’s a Food Soul, she didn’t know her own capabilities. That day, she got chased by a Fallen Angel into a corner, but fortunately, she ran into the battlefield that I was in. Obviously, my bullets didn’t change their paths when she appeared out of nowhere, and bright red blossoms of blood bloomed on her clothes. After I finished snuffing out the Fallen Angels, I rushed to her side. Not only was she not clutching her wound, resulting lots of blood loss, she was staring at me with dumbfounded admiration. Her expression had no pain. “Are you… God Almighty?” “What’re you yakking about!? Hurry and hold onto your wound… Eh? You… You ain’t human?” “Uh? God Almighty!” “What a fine mess… Hurry and use your Soul Power to close the wound! Lose any more of your Soul Power and you’ll die!” “Close… Soul Power?” “…Don’t know how? Forget it, I’ll do it myself!” I accidentally hurt her, so I took care of her. Aside from constantly calling me God Almighty, Margarita couldn’t be a more normal missy. Just seemed that she’d never left her birthplace. She was like a just hatched egg, endlessly curious about everything and anything. From the unfamiliar beginnings to gradually learning everything there was to know about each other. She was a girl kind to the point of ornery stubbornness. She’d always boil over when she saw folks perish before her, and that sort of almost crazed emotion made me reckon she wasn’t as quiet and gentle as she seemed. I always saw it as her being soft-hearted, she couldn’t bear to let anyone die right in front of her, but she had no power to do anything about it. She stayed by my side for some time. From the very first moment, she’d always know my next plan, and I never felt this sort of unspoken understanding before. I even started mulling, could my one man journey fit two? Travelling with a partner who understood you without words is far more interesting than a solitary voyage. III. Journey Aside from teaching Margarita how to use her Soul Power, everything went swell. So swell that I even turned a blind eye to how every month, when the moonlight was at its dimmest, Margarita would up and disappear on me. Turned a blind eye to her attitude towards delicate human lives. Turned a blind eye to the way she looked at me. In fact, it was as if like she always lookin’ through me to see someone behind me. I couldn’t recall who said it to me before, but apparently- when you see someone as especially good, you instinctively forget all their flaws. Just like how I ignored all her suspicious bits, trusting her with all my heart. That’s why when she invited me back to her hometown to take part in their annual sacrifice, I didn’t have a shred of suspicion. I followed her as we walked for a long while, much longer than I thought we would. With my assuring sense of direction, we came to a remote area that very few folks would ever step foot in. It was a very… Peculiar village. The air was steeped with a weird smell. I couldn’t make my mind up if it stunk, but it wasn’t fragrant either. Was more accurate to say it was like the smell of a burned plant. This sort of smell… felt familiar to me … But at the same time, I couldn’t remember where exactly I'd smelled it from. Everyone at the village took no notice of this smell, some of them were clearly addle-headed. Margarita, too, didn’t have any bizarre reaction to the smell. Maybe I was overthinking it. This smell made me feel like my head was swimming a tad. By the time I snapped back, Margarita, who’d been right by me, was long-gone. I frantically looked for her. At that moment, a drumming noise boomed in rapid succession, and it was as if a burst attack socked me straight in the heart and smothered my chest. The incessant noise made me so fidgety with anxiety that even breathing was a chore, and my erratically thumping heart seemed like it was about to spring right out of my chest. This intense discomfort did anything but bolster my spirits. I just wanted to find Margarita and ditch this place together, pronto. But at that moment, Margarita appeared, slowly following the drum beat, and went up to the stage before me. She’d changed into a beautiful dancing outfit, pure as the moon’s rays. Her ankles were even covered in a string of bells, chiming nonstop as she moved along. I opened my jaw, bent on to telling her to high tail it outta here with me. All of the sudden, a whole slew of villagers, donned in black sacrificial robes, appeared beside me. They bound my arms and covered my mouth. “What are you doing to him!? What are you doing!!! Let him go! Let him go, all of you!” Even the ruckus of Margarita’s shrill voice couldn’t rouse me. My consciousness was getting more dazed as the smell strengthened. My body was like a raft in the middle of a stormy sea, floating and sinking, with no way to really wake up. “Margarita, you’ve done well!” “What are you going to do to him!?” “…Margarita. I see, you’ve already awakened. Then there’s no value in using you anymore.” IV. Deception I didn’t know if I should celebrate. Margarita hadn’t forgotten what I taught her. She used my teachings to save herself from the mob and managed to save me, too. After leaving behind the village’s stench, my strength gradually returned. In order to protect me, her body had been slashed and scratched. I clenched my fists, telling myself continuously- –She duped you, you don’t need to save her again. But even my non-stop reminders couldn’t make me give the thought up. At the very least, I wanted her safe departure. I grasped my gun, turning my back to a wobbling Margarita. I couldn’t face her. “Go.” “God Almighty!” “Don’t you call me that! Beat it! I don’t wanna see your face ever again!” For as long as I can recall, this was the first time I spoke so loudly to her. As expected, she scrammed. Unconsciously, I had begun to see her as almost family, but I also had to believe the events that just happened. —Even though she was being used, she lied to me and led me into a trap. The weapons in the chasers’ hands were extremely rare- they were actually very effective against Food Souls like him. The wounds they inflicted couldn’t be patched up with Soul Power, and their Soul Power began to slip away. Slowly, my gun was hitting less and less accurately. My vision was also starting to muddy over. Before I fell, I felt like I was hearing her voice again. When I next woke up, I saw a dark cave all around me. A sharp pain from my body told me I couldn’t move. Warmth didn’t stop pouring outta my wounds, and a sliver of warmth gradually mended my beat body. It took me a heap of trying to turn my head: Margarita was by me, her body black and blue. A particularly fancy dagger was stuck on her waist; if I wasn’t mistaken, it probably was her sacrificial dagger. That surge of warmth was coming from her wounds. The body structure of a Food Soul was pretty much a perfect replica to a human’s, but at the same time, different. The trickle of blood coming from her waist turned into Soul Power and melted into my wound, repairing my body’s damage. Margarita seemed like she wasn’t hurting at all, both her hands were tightly clasping mine, frantically blathering prayers. She didn’t give a damn that her Soul Power was leaking, and she didn’t give a damn what I had once told her. As Food Souls, we can take a hit or two, but we can’t lose all of our Soul Power. The day we lose all our Soul Power, is the day we stop existing. She desperately merged her Soul Power into my body. When she saw that I had woken, she was pleasantly surprised, and tried to stand up, only to collapse back onto the ground. “Thank goodness… Thank goodness… You’re okay… I still have plenty of Soul Power! I still have a lot… give them all to you! “What’re you ranting about!?” “I am your sacrifice. I can sacrifice my life for you, this way you’ll be alright, you’ll be alright.” Margarita’s pale face clashed with the rabid expression on her face. It was the first time that he’d realized how petrifying her expression was, but I couldn’t reach out my still healing hand. “Margarita! Let go of him! You two need help!” V. Tequila Tequila, holding a gift he’d brought back all the way from Light Kingdom, placed the present into Candy Cane’s hands. As she cupped the gift, the confused look on her elicited a round of laughter from everybody. The attentive gal noticed the blood seeped bandage, hidden under Tequila’s cloak. The little girl, who’d always been soft-hearted, suddenly widened her eyes. Surprisingly, she managed to get the others to hold down Tequila, trying to flee. Candy Cane’s eyes welled with tears, and a flash of warm radiance lit from her hands: Tequila’s wound gradually closed under her hands. In Candy Cane’s eyes, every injury on her companions is a constant reminder: That she’s so small and weak, and she couldn’t accompany them to danger. The girl’s tears left Tequila dumbfounded on how to react. He frantically tried to comfort the thoughtful and gentle, yet tough gal. Candy Cane had become much more resilient ever since she came to the Vatican. It had been a long time since they saw her tear up like this. Fish and Chips sighed as he watched Tequila endlessly assure Candy Cane that next time he won’t overlook his own safety, and nudged Martini with his elbow. “Hey, that guy did something again?” “Yes, it’s as if he doesn’t wish to live.” “Sigh… Weisswurst already knows. He might even make Tequila go "enjoy" his special healing for a while again. Hiss–! There’s nothing worse than that, nothing Translator's Note: 惨绝人寰 miserable tragedy beyond comparable; extremely brutal and pitiful.” “Who knows what he’s pondering, you couldn’t even stop him if you tried.” “Forget it. Next time I’ll go with you guys too. Having another person is always better, yeah…?” Standing in front of Croissant to report this most recent trip, his thumb anxiously rubbed at his hand underneath his cloak. Martini and the others, leaning over the door and peeking, clearly knew this nervous habit of his. “What is it this time?” “…I thought…” “You thought you found that group of people, is that correct?” “You almost got those present who were undercover killed, and you nearly got your partner Martini killed too.” “Sorry…” “You’re forbidden from going out for one month, let your injuries properly heal. And we’re on the topic, go help Weisswurst tidy up the clinic for one month.” “Hey! That’s a lil’ too much!” “Are you objecting?” “N… No.” Tequila left Croissant’s office glum. He scratched the back of his head, refusing to glance at his smug companions, and went straight back to his own room. That day, Croissant personally brought Vatican manpower and surrounded the well-hidden village. Most of the villagers were caught, but the leader and a few others couldn’t be found. Tequila knew that in order for Croissant and the others to save him, he needed all the Food Souls right by him, and that’s how those few found their lucky break. Supported by Fish and Chips, Tequila eyed the skeletons buried behind that so-called sacrificial altar. He silently questioned himself, still worried about his Margarita. At that second, Margarita’s ever so innocent expression rattled him. “They are all the sacrificial offerings that we’ve dedicated to you…” Tequila suddenly recalled Margarita’s out-of-line behavior. How’d she would depart once a month, only to return with a faint smell on her- the same damn odor that he’d smelled in the village. When she looked at him like some kinda God Almighty, not even really seeing him, it wasn’t just his imagination. What she was looking at, was the so called ‘God Almighty’ behind him. With everything that’d just happened, Tequila felt dreadfully worn out. He didn’t want to face Margarita again, who wouldn’t quit begging him to extract her Soul Power, and ditched her sacrificial altar cave. The bright sunlight outside the cave wasn’t any different from before, but for some reason, Tequila’s eyes were covered with a layer of murky ash. If… he’d noticed Margarita’s oddities sooner… Could it have… Croissant brought Tequila back to the Vatican for treatment. The convoy right behind them with Margarita under confinement, suffered from a surprise back attack on the return journey. It was reported that the attacker was a cute, axe wielding girl. Aside from her, there were a number of other Food Souls that the Vatican had been tracking. It was as if they wanted to display their power to them. That sweet smiling girl didn’t kill anyone, although she inflicted heavy injuries on Fish and Chips, who’d been escorting the convoy, she sent him back to the Vatican’s door. It seemed she was telling them, in her own way, that if she wished to, Fish and Chips wouldn’t have been able to safely return. When Fish and Chips awakened, the ever expressionless Croissant let out a breath of relief. But after hearing what had transpired, that rare face of relaxation hardened once more. It was that day that Tequila officially joined the Vatican. Translator's Notes Note: Citations are usually indicated by the # hovering near the sentence. Category:Food Soul Story